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Ya Fei yu Ya Ji [VHS]

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In the late 80's through the early 90's, much of what was being cranked out of Hong Kong's prolific studios were triad or gangster films. John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam were among the best in this genre. But for every Full Contact or A Better Tomorrow there were 10 knock-offs, each with their own sequels, trying to cash in on the success of the few landmark films. The end result was a deluge of rotten, cliche-riddled gangster films with similar titles, style and thinly worn story lines. Much like Scary Movie was a spoof of Scream and the many films it sparked off, Days of Being Dumb is a (more subtle) spoof of the Hong Kong ganster genre.

In Days of Being Dumb, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung play low level criminals that rise through the ranks of organized crime, from bumbling machete-wielding underlings to rude-boy trench coat wearing two gun firing "made men". Although not as heavy handed as your typical Abrahams Zucker Abrahams film, Days of Being Dumb still manages to take frenetic pop shots at many of the defining characteristics of these ganster films.

If you have never seen any of the afore mentioned Hong Kong gangster films like The Killer, then you may miss many of the references in Days of Being Dumb (and much of the humor). For long time fans of the genre, this film is truly enjoyable.

And in case you'e wondering, the film's title is a poke at Wong Kar Wai's early film, Days of Being Wild.